Life-preserver.



W. SCHWBIKERT.

LIFE PRESERVBR. APPLICATION FILED 3321225, 1903:

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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W. SGHWBIKERT.

LIFE PBBSEBVER. APPLICATION FILED 811F125, 1908.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SGHWEIKERT, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SGHWEIKERT, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented certain Improvements in Life-Preservers, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in life preservers, andhas for its object to provide a device of this character, of a simpleand comparatively inexpensive nature, and of a compact constructionadapted to be formed completely from metal or other refractory material,so as not to be liable to deteriorate with age, and which shall presentcertain features of novelty whereby the device is rendered particularlyserviceable by reason of the readiness and convenience with which it maybe adjusted for use.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction,and combinations and arrangements of the several parts of the improvedlife preserver, whereby certain important advantages are obtained, andthe device is rendered cheaper, simpler, and otherwise better adaptedand more convenient for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate theinventionFigure 1 is a plan View of the improved life preserver; Fig. 2is a front view of the device; Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary viewillustrating the inner surface of a portion of the improved lifepreserver; Fig. 4 is a face view showing two of the connected buoyantmembers, at the front of the improved life preserver; Fig. 5 is afragmentary detail view showing one of the hinged connections betweenthe buoyant members; and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken in theplane indicated by the line a-a in Fig. 5, and showing certain featuresof construction of said hinged connection.

As shown in these views, the improved life preserver is made in the formof a belt or band adapted to be adjustably arranged about the waist ofthe person, and is formed from a series of buoyant metallic members 1,1, each of which comprises inner and outer plies 2 and 3 of sheet metal,the inner ply 2 being concave upon its inner surface, in order toaccommodate itself to the waist Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 25, 1908.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910. Serial No. 454,669.

of the wearer, and the outer ply 3 having its edge portions lapped flushupon the outer surface of said inner ply 2, and having its centralportion pressed outwardly therefrom to produce a central convex portion4 projecting outwardly from the inner ply 2 of the member, as clearlyshown on the drawings, whereby a space or hollow is produced between thetwo plies in order to give buoyancy to said members. By this arrangementof the parts it will be seen that each of the buoyant hollow members 1,1 is provided with a thin flattened marginal flange portion integrallyproduced around it and formed from the lapped edge portions of therespective inner and outer plies 2 and 3. Each such marginal flangeportion encircling the hollow central portion of the member whereon itis produced, and being in substantial alinement with the inner surfaceof the inner ply 2, fits closely against the body of the wearer duringuse of the improved life perserver, and permit-s each two adjacentmembers to be folded flush one upon the other so as to permit of morecompactly arranging said members for storage or shipment. For securingthe inner and outer plies of the members 1, 1 to each other in formingsaid members, a double seam is preferably extended around the outeredges of the flange portions afforded by said lapped edge portions ofthe inner and outer plies, in order to produce a bead or rib extendedaround the edges of each member, as clearly shown in the drawings. Theupper and lower ends of the members 1, 1 are each made rounded, in orderto readily accommodate itself to the body, and the ribs or heads 5around the edges of the members serve not merely to render the memberswater-tight, but also afford increased strength and stiffness, andpermit of the employment of extremely thin metal ior the manufacture ofthe buoyant memers.

As shown herein, the buoyant members are made elongated in form, and areeX- tended side by side with their long lateral edges as closelyadjacent to each other as possible, and said members are pivotallyconnected at their adjacent edges by means of hinge devices which, asherein shown, comprise thin metal clips 6 having their opposite endportions lapped over the opposite surfaces of the flattened marginalflange portions of the members and secured therea manner as to permitfree pivotal movement of. said members relatively to each other.

Any preferred number of the buoyant members 1, 1 may be "employed in theformation of the improved life preserver, there being seven such membersshown herein,

and the members. pivotally connected by means of the hinge devices asabove described, are adapted to be passed about the waist of the wearer,the said hinge devices and the concaved inner surfaces of the membersinsuring accommodation to the body as will be readily understood.

At its forward part the device is herein shown provided with adetachable fastening which permits the improved life preserver to bereadily passed around the waist and secured in position and also affordsa certain degree of adjustment necessary to permit the device toaccommodate different persons. This detachable fastening comprises asnap-hook or equivalent device connected with one of the terminalmembers 1, and a chainof flexible apertured part 15 attached to theopposite terminal member 1 in such 7 a manner that said snap-hook may bedetachably engaged with one or another of the links of said chain in awell known way to permit the device to be snugly fitted about the waistof the wearer. A similar chain 15 is also fastened in any preferred wayto the opposite side of member 1 whereon chain v15 is carried so thatits links are engageable with the snap-hook to permit the device to beaccommodated to a child or very slender person. The attachment of thechain 15 is effected by means of a metal strip 9 extended transverselyacross the concaved inner surface of the member 1, its opposite endsbeing secured in place by rivets 11,11 passed through the lapped edgeportions of the plies 2 and 3 of said member, and one of its ends beingformed into a loop 12 wherein is pivotally held a clip 10 projectingfrom the edge of member 1 and having a central eye or loop 1 1 wherewiththe terminal link of said chain 15 is coupled. A similar strip 9 andclip 10 is provided upon the opposite terminal member 1 at the front ofthe improved life pre- 1 serverfor the attachment'of the snap-hook 16'thereto, a link being herein shown interposed between said snap-hook andthe loop 14: of its attaching clip in order to a'iford freedom ofmovement in engaging and disengaging the snap-hook with and from the 1links of chain 15. For the attachment of the chain 155*, one of therivets '11 atthat end of strip 9 is herein shown provided with an eyewith which the terminal link of said chain is engaged. This chain 15, aswell as the chain 15 may have any preferred length dependent upon theservice for which the improved life preserver is designed.

The improved life preserver constructed according to my invention is ofan extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and isparticularly well adapted for use not merely by reason of the simplicityand strength of its construction, and of the convenience and securitywith which it may be applied about the person when desired for use,'butalso by reason of being capable of being rolled compactly so as tooccupy but little space, and of its durability, being constructedentirely of metal so that there is no liability of deterioration, and nopart liable to be consumed by fire.

If desirable, shoulder straps or equivalent parts, preferably of metal,may be provided, connecting the members 11 at opposite sides of thedevice and adapted to be passed over the shoulders of the wearer, and Ihave provided loops at suitable points for the attachment of saidshoulder straps where the same are employed.

From the above description it will also be obvious that thedevice issusceptible of some modification without material departure from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, and for this reason I do notdesire to be understood as limiting myself to the precise formation andarrangement of the several parts as herein set forth in carrying out myinvention in practice. Nor do I desire to be understood as limitingmyself to the employment of any special material for the construction ofthe improved life preserver, the invention not being limited in thisrespect. Various metals, such as steel, copper, aluminium, etc., may beemployed with good results.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A device of the character described comprising aplurality of hollow watertight metallic members having flattened innersurfaces adapted to fit against the body of the wearer and provided withchambered central portions and thin flattened marginal flange portions,clips having ends 1. ped upon the flattened flange portions of themembers and secured thereto, and links engaged with the clips andextended between the members and aifording pivotal connection betweenthe same.

2. A device of the character described having a plurality of hollowwatertight members flexibly connected and adapted to be fitted aroundthe body of the wearer, each such member being produced from two pliesof metal spaced apart at their central portions to produce a watertightair chamber within such member, and having marginal portions lappedflush one upon the other to produce a flange surrounding such member,the edge portions of said lapped marginal portions of the metal pliesbeing provided with a double seam affording watertight connectiontherebetween and separated from the air chamber of such member by suchsurrounding flange.

3. A device of the character described having a plurality of hollowWatertight members each provided with chambered central portions andthin flattened marginal flange portions integrally produced around saidchambered central portions, and links extended between said marginalflange portions and aflording flexible connections between the members.

4. A device of the character described having a plurality of hollowwatertight elonl gated members each provided with elongated chamberedcentral portions and thin elongated flattened flange portions integrallyproduced along opposite sides of said chambered central portions andextended parallel with each other, and links extended between saidmarginal flange portions and affording flexible connections between saidmembers.

5. A device of the character described having a plurality of hollowwatertight members extended side by side, each two adj acent membersbeing provided with parallel thin flattened marginal flexibly connectedflange portions integrally produced along their contiguous sides.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SCHWEIKERT. Witnesses:

J. D. CAPLINGER, F. W. WIMAN.

